On Impulse
by Byakuei
Summary: Set after the game. Sophia graduates from high school and has a job but isn't satisfied with her life. She get's a call from Cliff and heads to Elicoor II, but thing goes wrong on the ship. Alphia, Fayria, etc. Rating may change later.
1. Flight

This is my first Star Ocean fanfic! I've written other stories though, anyways, this is an Alphia (AlbelxSophia) fanfic so people who don't like this pairing should turn away. Other pairings include FaytxMaria, CliffxMirage, and NelxMackwell, if you ask why? It's because I want Nel to be with someone too! I don't mind PeppitaxRoger but I'm not too into it because right now as kids they are cute, but eventually Peppita will grow up and won't remain short unlike Roger. So, if anything does happen between them, it will be friendship related.

It's also been a while since I played the game so if I get any facts mixed up please tell me.

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Ocean 3: Till the End of Time. I love the title hehehe.

* * *

"Hey Fayt, how've you been?"

"Hey Sophia, I'm doing pretty well over here, how about you?"

"I'm fine. My jobs been killing me though, I'm thinking about quitting."

"You don't sound fine to me Sophia. If you're stressed I think maybe you should quit."

"But if I do, what will I do then?"

"You just graduated a month ago, you've got plenty of opportunities out there. You should do what you want."

"That's the thing Fayt, I don't know what I want...."

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll think of something."

"Thanks. I have to get back to work now, my breaks over."

"All right, I'll talk to you later."

Sophia hung up the phone and put it back into her bag. She stuffed her bag back into the locker and headed back out.

After high school, Sophia found a job working as a waitress. She worked night shifts 5 days a week for minimum wage. Money was not an issue for Sophia, but staying home was. Two years ago, after the "creator incident" she lost her parents and nothing ever went back to the way it was before, not even her and Fayt.

_Fayt changed_. She smiled.

He became more confident and wise because of the whole ordeal. She had watched him grow since they were toddlers and also witnessed his emergence as a man. He continued to change as time went on but the Fayt she knew was also still somewhere there deep inside.

_But I didn't._ She was still the sweet girl that everyone knew her to be. But deep down, her heart was slowly wallowing up in insecurities, more than ever. Everyday she came home, there would be no one to come home to just like before when her parents were always out at work or overseas. But she had Fayt, then, but not anymore. He continue his studies in college and Maria enrolled as well, hoping to live a normal life, like any other teenage girl. Maria also had a lot to go through, but she seemed fine now, happier even.

Fayt and Maria often studied together and competed against each other which lead them to grow closer. Sophia felt jealous at first, seeing her "older brother" take care of someone other than herself, but it sunk in that anything she and Fayt may have had or could have had, was over. Her feelings did not reach him. Even so, she gave them her best regards and sincerely wished for their happiness even if it meant giving up her own.

Sophia went home after her shift. She unlocked the door and went inside. The room was dark, cold and quiet, she couldn't see anything, but she knew where everything was. She didn't bother to turn on the lights because she was tired and wanted to sleep. She headed towards the couch and dropped herself on to it and sighed.

"It's so dark and cold here....just like my heart." She mumbled. She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. Unbeknownst to her, a tear rolled down her cheeks, like every other night since she came back.

_It's lonely...._

_

* * *

Ring! Ring! Ring!_ Sophia tossed and turned. She could hear her phone go off but was too tired to pick it up.

_Ring! Ring! Ring!_ She groaned. Her phone wouldn't stop so she eventually gave up on sleeping and grabbed her phone and groggily answered it.

"Hello?" She asked not even glimpsing at the caller ID.

"Rise and shine sleepyhead! How're you doing?"

"Cliff, is that you?"

"The one and only! Listen we're gonna drop by in lets say, 5 minutes so get ready."

"What? Why didn't you call sooner?!"

"You shouldn't be worrying about that right now, if I were you, I'd get my cute butt off that bed and start making myself look presentable."

Geez, was this guy a perve. Same ol' Cliff. She smiled.

"All right, I'll be done in bit, just wait for me to let you in." She hung up the phone and darted towards the bathroom. There wasn't enough time to shower so she just washed her face and combed out her hair. After that she ran to her closet to find a fresh set of clothes to wear. She pulled out a pink tank top and a white short sleeve hooded vest to cover herself with. She also took out a navy blue ruffled skirt and her white cat printed black over knee high stockings to pair with. After dressing, she raced back down the stairs but stopped when she saw movement. Someone was in the dark living room.

All of a sudden, she felt someone grab her shoulder. She screamed.

The light turned on.

"Woah, woah, easy there. Sorry for the scare." It was Cliff. Sophia breathed hard.

"How did you get in?" She crossed her arms and gave him a glare.

"Fayt gave me the keys. I'll go get him." and then he ran out the door and reappeared dragging a giant mass with blue hair.

"Fayt? What are you doing here? What are you guys doing here?" After Cliff entered, Mirage followed shortly behind along with Maria and Peppita.

"Hi Sophia, sorry for barging in like this." said Mirage.

"It was Cliff's idea!" exclaimed Peppita.

"None of us knew what he was planning" shrugged Maria.

"But you still let him."

"True."

"Anyways, lets just sit and straighten things out, shall we?" Cliff let go of Fayt and they sat oh the couch. The others followed.

Sophia sighed. _What a morning._

"So...what brings you guys here, to Earth?" asked Sophia.

"Oh right, I've been meaning to tell you. Clair is getting married. Adray was so happy he already started planning the wedding. It's a month from now." said Fayt.

"What? Already? How are they going to get everything done in just a month?"

"That's why we're here" said Maria.

"They asked us to help plan the wedding, especially the girls." pitched in Mirage.

"With that said, we're in a hurry, so pack whatever you need in 10 minutes. We need to head out as soon as possible. Nel has been on a rampage because of how limited time is. They're expecting us to be there in like, an hour."

Sophia was shocked.

"You should hurry Sophia, we don't have time to waste." said Fayt.

"Right, I'll start now."

"We'll help you" offered Mirage.

"Me too" said Maria.

"And me!" piped Peppita.

They all got up and went to Sophia's room. Sophia didn't have much she wanted to bring. She packed her clothes, shoes, and some accessories. She glanced at the wall wear her staff lay. For some reason, something was nagging her to bring it, so she did. The girls helped with packing and the boys were made to carry. After that they got onto the Diplo and set off.

After Maria resigned as captain, Cliff reclaimed the spot and made all the decisions. If they were going to make it in one hour, they need to leave now and no second later.

Mirage was helping Cliff, and whenever she wasn't she would come and chat with the others. Fayt and Maria stayed and chatted with Sophia for a while but left for some privacy. It was okay since they were together now. Sophia didn't mind as much, she was use to it now.

"Hey Sophia watch me dance" said the younger girl. Sophia smiled.

"Sure"

Peppita started off slowly, yet gracefully. The girl was very beautiful and stunning. When she grew older, she would definitely catch a lot of attention and hearts. As Sophia watched on, she couldn't help but also wish she was passionate about something.

While everyone was busy doing their own thing, the alarm set off and the ship began the shake.

"Warning. Warning. The engine has malfunctioned. Evacuate immediately."

"What?! We checked the engine before we left!" cried Cliff. He gritted his teeth.

"Dammit! Everyone evacuate to the escaped pods now. Do not run. There are enough pods for everyone."

After hearing that, Sophia ran to her room and randomly grabbed one of her bags. _What am I doing? I need t get out of here!_

"Mirage, you make sure that everyone gets there safely."

"What about you?" she was concerned about him.

"I'll be fine, I'm the captain remember?"

She nodded and left. She knew he was going to try keep the ship up as long as he could and eventually make an emergency landing but he didn't want to risk the lives of the others. Everyone of the members had gathered to the escape room with the exception of Cliff.

"What's going on?" asked Peppita.

"I don't know, but there's something going on in this ship. There's no way this could be a coincidence" said Mirage.

"I'll stay and help." said Fayt.

"Me too, I've been through worser situations. I'll help handle the situation." said Maria.

"Then I'll help too" offered Sophia.

"No, you won't. You and Peppita have to get out of here. We need someone to watch Peppita and also notify Nel of our situation and prevent as may casualties as possible." Sophia bit her lips, but nodded._ Am I really that useless?_

"I don't want to!" cried Peppita.

"Please Peppita, we're in an emergency right now, don't worry about us. Just make sure you're safe, you have your own priorities." said Mirage.

"We're counting on you, Sophia, Peppita." said Maria.

"But!"

Sophia put her hand on Peppita's shoulder.

"Trust them." The younger girl clenched her fists but reluctantly let go. "Okay"

They each entered their own escape pod and waited to sortie (?). Before they left, she saw Fayt smile at them reassuringly.

She felt the pods release and soon all she saw was pitch black and white twinkling dots.

She set the destination for Elicoor II; Aquaria and hoped she would make it in time. She needed to warn the people and clear out space so they would be able to land without worrying about anyones safety. Either that or form a search party. While she waited, she soon noticed that her destination had not been locked in. Sophia tried again but it didn't work. She tried once more but nothing happened.

The machine's lights set off just like the ship. She saw the computer screen flash and glitch. It had hit her, someone had sabotaged the ship and rewritten the programs. _But how?_

She tried her best to reconfigure the settings but to no avail. The pod had just passed through the atmosphere and plunged through the sky. Sophia knew it was too late to do anything and braced herself for the worse.

* * *

That's all for the first chapter and I will start on the second chapter immediately.


	2. Fight

Sophia muffled her body with her arms while tossing around trying to get comfortable. She felt a pain jabbing at her stomach. She slowly opened up her eyes to find herself in a confined space. She searched for the cause of her pain and stumbled upon the bag she had brought with her. There was something hard in there. She searched the bag and found her staff wondering why it was with her. Her eyes widened realizing that it was only moments ago that she regained consciousness, but she had no idea how long she was out.

"I have to get to Aquaria!" She panicked. Sophia quickly scanned for the power button and pressed it hoping that it would start, but nothing happened.

"Come on, please work!" She kept trying but her efforts were useless.

Sophia suddenly tried to open the hatch. She had to get out of here or else she'd freeze to death, or worse, she'd slowly freeze to death while hundreds of Aquarian citizens would be smashed to bits in an instant.

"Stop thinking of terrible things!" She berated herself for thinking about such outcomes. Sophia kept trying to open the hatch but it didn't work so she tried to force it open, but that didn't work either. She gave up trying.

As she breathed she watched her breath take form. She felt cold and shivered continually moving to keep herself warm.

_It can't end like this! I have to do something or else people are going to get hurt, but what?_ It had just struck her that she had her staff with her. She could use symbology! It was risky especially since there was little space meaning she'd get hurt as well, but it may have been her only way to get out. She started casting her spell and seconds later, she blew open the hatch with a firebolt.

"Yes!" She was free. She climbed out not a moment later and reached outside. Examining the field, she realized that she landed in the snowy mountain and the reason she couldn't get out was because her pod had fallen deep into the ground and while she was out, the snow began to cover over. The firebolt was strong enough that it blew away the snow overlaying the pod and she also realized that she had a few burns and scratched because of it. She winced at the pain when the wind began to blow stronger, the cold seeping into her skin. Now how was she gonna climb up? She looked up and saw that she was atleast 6 feet underground maybe even further.

"Great, what now?" Sophia was becoming impatient. She and the the citizens of Aquaria were in a state of danger and helplessness.

"I wonder what happened to Peppita. Hopefully, she made it to the castle on time." If that were true, then the only person in any danger would be herself truly.

Not a moment later a figure appeared above her. She squinted to see pass the light and quite confidently guessed that the figure was indeed a person. She began to call out for help hoping the person could hear here and help her out before she gets snowed it once more. Sophia watched as the figure waved its arm as if beckoning someone to come over. A few seconds later, another figure arrived throwing down a rope for her to climb out.

"Thank you!" she cried out happily. She reached for the rope and began to climb up while the figures tugged the rope.

She reached the top and made it out safely, but not without harm. Her hands were starting to blister and if she didn't treat her wounds soon, they may get infected. Pushing her thoughts away, she got up to thank the figures who rescued her. Before she could utter even a word, she was knocked down by a blow to her head.

Sophia screamed out in pain, not knowing what hit her. It took her a few seconds until she regained control of her vision. She gazed up to see the figures towering above still not able to make out who or what they were due to the sun light in her eyes. She heard muffled noises presumably the figures speaking in hushed tones. Sophia, however, was able to catch a few words and her eyes widened. All of a sudden she was grabbed by the hair and yanked upwards. Sophia gasped as the pain shot down the roots of her head. _This isn't good. I thought we got rid of them. It should have been over a year ago!_

Sophia was then tossed to the other figure. She scrambled to get herself up, but they made sure she wouldn't be able to escape. Before she could get to her feet and grab her staff, the other figure grabbed her by the arms and punched her in the stomach. Sophia gagged at the impact dealt to her and fell back down. The figure then stripped her of her staff which once hung behind her back. The second figure came close and next thing she knew there was a laser pointed at her neck, threatening to blow off her head.

"Vendeeni" she huffed. She watched as one of them laughed dryly and it soon became a cackle.

"That's right." It was a male. His voice thick and oozing with malice. "It was thanks to you and your companions that our organization is in ruins. The few of us left cannot sleep or eat in peace because trash like you can roam around freely and enjoy the remainder of your life. Because of you we have to run and hide in the darkest corners of the universe. We cannot return to the life we once lived. We cannot return to our homes. But we did have one thing and that one thing was a similar goal; revenge."

She felt a burning sensation in her chest suddenly start to rise. The burn quickly surfaced as anger. She felt a surge of change zap throughout her body.

"So this is what became of the Vendeeni, huh?" she asked dryly. "Nothing but a bunch of washouts who blame others for their own problem. If I remember correctly, you were the ones who attacked us and caused all this grief and pain. You were the ones that took my life, my family away from me!" she exclaimed. A sudden movement made its way to her torso and once again she clutched her body in pain. She hissed at them almost catlike. The venom in her voice was quite noticeable. If she had been herself a year prior, she would have cowered in pain and continually awaited for her prince to rescue her. But she was no longer the girl she once was, reality had hit her in full and sent her flying out of her fairytale world. She was no princess, just an average girl with a not so average destiny.

"We no longer have any use for you. We will kill you here and now along with the rest of your allies." said the Vendeeni. A few seconds later, a few more figures showed up. More Vendeeni soldiers surrounded her. She gasped in surprise at the number of Vendeeni. There were atleast 15 here on this snowy mountain top.

"H-how did you all manage to find us, how did you all get here?" She inquired.

"Curious, are we?" said the man. "I'll tell you just because you will never be able to hear anything in a few seconds. After all of you went your separate ways, we thought it was easiest to track you. All alone with no one protecting you, you were by far the most vulnerable target." He chuckled. "You didn't notice a thing either, your senses must be really dull. We continued to watch you and collect info on you for the past year, waiting for a chance to arise and kill every single one of you. Not only was it easy to trace you, but your friends are quite stupid to leave a ship unguarded. I must say, all of you have lost your touch."

Sophia gritted her teeth. _So it was my fault.___She felt like bursting in tears but she would not give them the satisfaction.

"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer" said the man. Sophia realized exactly what he meant. "We infiltrated your work place if that's what you're wondering. Hahaha, what a stupid woman! Well, any last words?"

Sophia clenched her fist in the snow. Her body began to shake. She knew she would not be able to escape especially now that her weapon was taken away. She inhaled a deep breath to calm herself and mustered whatever courage she had left to deliver them her final thoughts.

"Go fuck yourselves."

The man and the rest of the Vendeeni were captured by surprise. If it weren't for their masks she would be able to see their mouths hanging down agape. Silence ensued. Sophia couldn't help but relish in their shock and smiled, if not smirked somewhat. Somewhere in the back of her head she thought _I could die happy._

The man finally regained composure and was completely enraged. He mustered all the strange he had and delivered a swift punch towards Sophia's face. The impact sent her tumbling backwards blood gushing from her mouth. It was surprising her teeth remained intact. The man huffed in anger and grabbed his laser pointing directly at her forehead. Sophia sat quietly staring bravely at the man even though her heart pounded like crazy. Her expression angered the man even more.

"Bitch, DIE!"

Her eyes widened and she hitched her breath for the incoming moment. A fountain of blood gushed out in every direction. Her body cloaked now with blood but the blood continued to rain. The body fell to ground and contaminated the pure white with crimson red. The man's head slowly rolled on the ground.

"How unsightly" said a deep voice. A familiar voice. Sophia searched for the voice but the rain of blood smeared her view and the screams clogged her ears. One by one the bodies fell, some in more than one piece. She didn't need to confirm who it was, she already knew. He was the only one who fought with a katana and hacked away at the enemies without remorse. The only one who could move so swiftly and deadly yet capture your gaze not with your eyes but with your soul. He was no other but Albel Nox or as others may refer to him as "Albel the Wicked."

Not a moment later, the Vendeeni all collapsed. Dead, that's what they were. Sophia watched wearily at the scene before her. Bodies decapitated and deformed lay in purely tainted snow. The scent of blood drowning her senses and caused her to slightly loose focus. Her eyes became lazy and her body suddenly felt light and cold. The pain slowly becoming numb, she was slipping out of consciousness. Her view began to blur and she did not even realize she had fallen over. A figure stood before her but she couldn't think or speak. The white and red, turned into black.


	3. Fright

Her eyes fluttered open welcoming new scenery she didn't expect to see. An elegant room dimly lit yet every detail was still visible. She rose from her bed and noticed the size and the décor, practically royalty. She felt a pain whip through her head almost instantly. It was only then she recounted the events and realized where she was. She got up from her bed and headed towards a mirror to examine herself. She noticed a lot of bruises and cuts, but most of her wounds were treated and she wore a new change of attire, a silky lavender layered dress that showed her cleavage and ran just above her knees.

"He wouldn't…would he?"

She was thinking about Albel, the man who just saved her life. He was in general a cold person, but she believed there was definitely more behind his wicked exterior, not that she really knew personally. He was barely kind and only spoke briefly to her, if not, just to criticize her. It puzzled her whether he would really go so far as to treat her wounds and even change her clothes. She blushed at the thought and shook her head.

"He has maids to do this…besides, he probably doesn't care whether or not I live." It hurt her to say that about him, but she felt it to be true. No one seemed to care about her anymore. She looked at the bandages around her body. They were neatly wrapped and comfortably done. Sophia continued to examine herself and soon began to heal her wounds.

"If only I could do that to my heart…Gosh, I must be insane…talking to myself like this."

Knock, knock. The door opened.

"Oh, I see you're up. How are you doing miss? If there is anything you need please call me."

Sophia turned her attention toward the maid at the door.

"Um, can you tell me what happened to my clothes?"

"The master has instructed me to wash them so I prepared something else in its place."

"I see, can you bring it up when you are done?"

"Certainly, miss. Is there anything else you need before I take my leave?"

"No, that will be all."

Yes, miss. Also, if you are feeling up to it, the lord would like your presence for dinner."

Sophia gave her a look of disbelief.

"Ah, I see. Thank you, I'll be down shortly," Sophia responded kindly. "Oh! Excuse me, can you give the person who treated me my gratitude?"

"Alright." After that, the maid left and Sophia began to fix herself.

"I wonder what he wants with me" she mused. She always thought Albel to be sort of enigmatic. He carried a mysterious air about him that was quite alluring and he was quite handsome to boot, but there's no way she would ever tell him that. In all honesty, she never paid much attention to other guys besides Fayt. But even then, she found Albel to be quite an intriguing character.

She took a minute to look over herself, making herself look as presentable as possible and left the room. As soon as she reached the hall, she couldn't help but gasp in awe. The entire manor seemed to have been remodeled. It was no longer dark and dreary as she last remembered it to be. In fact, it seemed that the manor may have become even bigger than before. She was so distracted she almost forgot about dinner until her stomach growled.

"I should hurry, don't want to keep the lord waiting do I?" She felt extremely chipper after touring around and decided to head for the dining room.

A nearby servant pulled out a seat for Sophia and she kindly thanked him and sat down.

"The lord will be down momentarily," said the servant.

Just as soon as he finished speaking, an old man in black attire came down the stairs. The servant welcomes him in pulls out a chair for him as well.

"Good to see you, Lady Esteed."

Sophia looked at him in surprise.

"You look surprised, were you expecting someone else?"

"No- I mean, well, a little…I'm sorry Count Woltar, I was caught up in my own thoughts."

He chuckled at her. "It's perfectly fine, I'm more concerned about your health."

"I'm fine, thank you." She smiled.

"That's great news. Why don't we start with dinner? I'm sure you are starving by now."

As if on cue, her stomach growled. Sophia's cheek burned a bright red. He laughed at her merrily.

"Well, no point in wasting anymore time, let's begin."

As they ate, Sophia couldn't help but notice another tray of food set up on the table. She wanted to ask, but she didn't want to disturb the silence. For some reason, she couldn't get Albel out of her mind.

"If you are wondering where he is, you shouldn't. He's out paying a visit right now so he won't be back until a bit later."

Sophia gaped at him for a second and then closed her mouth, embarrassed at her own behavior and reprimanded herself.

_What happened to manners?_

"I-I wasn't really concerned…it's just, I was just wondering how he was doing. It has been two years after all."

The count smiled. "Even so, it pleasures me to hear that from you. I am joyous to know that a young lady such as yourself do indeed think of him."

"It's not like that sir, we were just allies. It's quite common to take interest in a fellow aid you haven't seen in so long," she defended herself.

Count Woltar continued to smile at her. "I understand what you are saying my dear, but make no mistake. Not once have I mentioned his name, but we were still able to connect. Love comes in all forms, familial, friendship, or even a partner. I only wish for people to accept their own thoughts and feelings and bridge it across."

She blushed realizing what he really meant. He wasn't associating her as a lover, but merely as another kin who shared concerns for the fellow. Albel didn't have many people that cared about him. Being the "Wicked" he is, it was hard to see pass the only front he ever showed. But she fought along him, walked along side him, and even spoke to him on rare occasions. It was hard to believe that Albel the "Wicked" was all there was.

"If only he would accept those feelings present to him," he continued "and return it, this old man here wouldn't worry so much."

The man in front of her was one of the only people out there that cared whether Albel lives or dies. She felt sad for him. He kind of reminded her of her at the moment.

"Dear Lady, if you don't mind me asking, would you please give me your honest opinion of Albel?"

He looked at her with a hard expression. She sat silently for a moment and pondered before speaking.

"Albel the 'Wicked' is an arrogant man whose love for battle disgusts the public's eyes. Merciless and fearful with a demonic presence, he looks down on every person as a lower being, but…"

"But?"

"That's what other's see, not me. He fights for the thrill, I can tell that much, but I don't believe that he's as "Wicked" as they say. Being around him even though it wasn't long, I can tell that he's hiding something. That's why he acts the way he does. "

"What makes you say that?"

"We fought together before…he'd always tell me not to get in his way. Even so, he'd save me right before I lose my head" she chuckles "…and he has someone as caring as you watching over him. That's saying something."

Her words touched him and his expression softened.

"Thank you, sweet lady. That is all I want to hear. If you don't mind me, I'd like to excuse myself from dinner, do take your time."

"Not at all sir, it's my pleasure to have been able to dine with you in the first place."

"If you do get a chance to talk to him, please do. He doesn't open up to many people, but if it's you, I'm sure you'll be fine."

"What do you mean?"

"Well then, I'll be off now. There's a big day ahead of us. Goodnight."

"Ah, uh…Goodnight?"

After being left alone at the dinner table, Sophia soon finished and headed for her room. She had a lot of things occupying her mind at the moment and felt restless. She did sleep in for most of the day. Without giving it another thought, she decided to take a stroll in the city regardless of danger.

It was too dark for her to see clearly, but she was able to make out the outlines and figures in her surroundings. She continued to explore in the dark and stare at the night sky. The air was crisp and chill, but nonetheless soothing.

As she walked, she lost track of time and the direction she went. There was light coming from a store a head of her. She walked closer and closer until the door opened. Three men came out the door extremely drunk and wreaked of cigars. She realized the shop was actually a bar. Sophia, trying to go unnoticed by the men walked silently. As she was passing, she felt a hand grab her butt. She jumped and let out an eep while the drunken men laughed. Angry, she turned around and slapped the man who harassed her.

The three men were now infuriated by her actions. They decided to gang up on her, two grabbing her arms while another man got ready to punch her.

Reacting solely on her instincts, which improved during her journey, she bit one the men holding her, stomped on the other's foot, and kneed the last one in the groin.

_Now that's what I call a nutcracker_. She grinned. _Damn, I feel sooo much better! _

Her body felt completely rejuvenated. She took a lot of beating earlier, it was no wonder she felt pumped after letting out some stress. The other two men shook off their pain and went after her.

_Uh oh, gotta get out of here! _And with that she bolted.

The men were still on her tail, but she ran as quickly AND blindly as possible. She made random turns because she didn't know where she was at all. Not knowing where else to go, she saw a gate ahead of her and ran through it. Knowing she couldn't turn back, she decided to go in deeper and follow the trail ahead of her. Upon arrival, she sucked in her breath and stood speechless. She was in a cemetery and damn was she spooked.

_This is why I hate being alone._

The bush rustled behind her, sending her a scare of a lifetime, besides the almost dying experience. Even the three drunkards didn't scare her as much. She ran as fast as her legs could carry her until she tripped over them. As she got up, she noticed a tomb in front of her. It was hard to see in the dark, but she barely made it out. Using one of her fingers, she traced the marks for more clarification.

"G-L-O…U….N…O-X… and…"

"…Nox?"

"What are you doing here?"

She felt a hand grab her shoulder and pull her up from her position. Not quite balanced, she fell over and landed into his chest. She felt something cold and hard dig into her skin. It was a metal claw.

"Answer me, wench." His voice was cold and harsh.

"A-Albel?" she inquired with fear.

"I'm waiting. How long does it take a worm to answer a simple question?" He was getting impatient.

"I-I was just passing through…"

"That doesn't explain why you're here."

"I-I didn't mean to, umm, I –"

"Quit stuttering liking an idiot, wench and answer me properly."

Okay, now he was slowly pissing her off. First, he scared the shit out of her and grabs her with his claw and by the way, it hurts. Then he interrogates her like she just committed a crime, and now he doesn't even wait for her to complete her sentence.

She drew in her breath and let it out, calming herself.

"Well excuse me for being scared out of my wits, I didn't expect to get chased into a cemetery by three drunkards and I least expected to find you here out in the dark. And if you will, please let go of me."

He furrowed his eyebrows and released her from his grasp. She massaged her shoulder to relieve the pain.

"Leave," he commanded.

"Why?" she asked.

"You have no reason to be here."

She started to fume. It wasn't like she came here on purpose, but what right did he have to order her around like that? Then it hit her, Albel was visiting was his parents' graves. She turned to him and smiled.

"I see. Hey Albel, give me a minute."

"Wench, what do you think you're – "

"I'm giving them my regards."

He stood on his spot as he watched the younger girl squat down and clutch her hands together in a prayer like manner. It puzzled him as to why the girl would do such a thing for someone she never met. He was annoyed at first, angry even, but it all washed away the moment she smiled.

Moments later, Sophia stood on her feet and dusted herself. She looked at Albel and smiled once more signaling that she was done. He stared at her for a second before turning around and taking leave with Sophia trailing behind.

As they made their way out, Sophia saw the three men that had been chasing her earlier. They staggered with every step, but somehow they were still able to recognize her. One was about to run at her, but another man held him back. The said man then pointed at Albel with his entire body shaking.

The two companions walked pass the group of men as if their existence was none. The men whispered as quietly as they could to each other, but being drunk, their senses weren't exactly favorable. Albel heard every word they said and so did Sophia.

"Shit…didn't know she was his woman," one whispered to another. They slurred with their speech.

"Fuck, damn bitch… shouldn't be out like that. She's just asking for someone to rip that dress up and take her down in an alley."

"Who the hell does he think he is…walking like he's better than us. If it weren't for…his father, he'd be shit."

"You want to say that again, maggots?"

They froze on their spot.

"If you want to start something, I don't mind finishing it." Albel flashed a menacing grin at them. He kept his sword with him and was always prepared for battle. He didn't need it, just his claw would suffice, heck even without the claw he could still do damage. But he kept it nonetheless, to invoke fear into his prey.

The men were scared shitless, both figuratively and literally. Sophia almost gagged. The men panicked and stumbled over each other trying to run away. After some time they managed to scamper away and out of sight.

"Hmph, nothing but fools."

_Well, that's the end of them._ She thought.

Before heading back, she noticed Albel's eyes on her. She could feel the intensity of his gaze and couldn't shake off this feeling of vulnerability. It was only now that she realized just how much skin she was showing. The sleeves of the dress hung off her shoulders exposing much of her top body. Besides the ribbon she wore on her neck, she revealed too much for comfort. Her dress was a tight fitting dress on the top, but flowy on the bottom. The wind didn't help much either. It picked up the hems of the dress and blew it up even higher revealing parts of her thighs. She folded her arms around herself as if trying to cover herself. Her skin felt cold, but she felt like her entire body was burning. Under the moonlight, she was quite the enchanting creature.

"We should hurry back. It's getting pretty late and the temperature out here is freezing," she said with a hint of rush in her voice.

He didn't respond, only revert his attention back on to the streets and commence their walk.

When they reached his manor, Sophia hurried inside and out of the cold. She stretched her arms and yawned.

"Your wounds are gone," he stated. She nodded at him.

"I healed myself when I woke up." She smiled at him, but then she remembered the Vendeeni and panicked.

"Oh no! I forgot about Aquaria and Peppita. The others, I have to find out – "

"The fools are fine."

"…What?"

"Aquaria is in no danger and the maggots are safe. It has been reported while you were in slumber."

"But how? What happened?"

"How should I know, maggot. I wasn't there."

She looked at him silently. He was aggravated.

_That's right. At that time you were with me…you saved me._

"We have been summoned to meet at Aquaria tomorrow. Be ready to leave by noon."

She walked over to him and suddenly pulled off his coat.

"Wench, what do you think you're doing?"

"Just hold still!" she exclaimed.

She grabbed hold of his flesh arm and dragged him into the living room and sat him down. She checked his arm first. She shocked him, her commanding him like this was unnatural. She use to be so timid and insecure, a pushover. But now, she had the guts to order him around.

Sophia continued to examine Albel's body for any wounds. She didn't find many, a scratch here and there but nothing serious.

_Wait, what's this?_

She guided her hand to his chest, but he pulled back and swatted her hand away.

"Don't touch me, woman!"

"Take off your shirt, Albel." He didn't comply, but she wasn't going to give.

"Albel, don't make this harder than it has to be." Her voice was soft, but firm and determined.

Seconds later, he finally took off his top. Sophia placed her hand over to the wound above his heart and began to heal it. She could feel his heartbeat under the coldness of his skin. The wound disappeared, but she let her hand linger. She continued to gaze at his topless form. He really was a beautiful being.

Albel watched her intently, not quite sure what to do. He wasn't good at socializing with people, but the girl just wouldn't back off.

"Are you done yet, woman?" he said in a gruff voice. She didn't move.

She locked her gaze with his. "You were the one who treated me."

She surprised him once again. She was sharper than she looked. After the battle with the creator, everyone went about doing their own thing. He continued to fight his own battles. Not once did Albel let another, but those whom he trust touch him. Over the past two years, without the healer, he learned to bandage himself properly and even better than his aids. His intentions were honest.

Without notice, Albel felt pressure on his lips. Sophia had locked her lips with his. The shock she gave him zapped through his body. He felt a tingly sensation overcome him. She pulled away and stood up, still facing him with eyes locked, her face red like that of a tomato.

"Thanks, Albel...Goodnight."

Sophia then ran away leaving a dumbstruck Albel. If she had taken the time to look at him, she would have noticed his own reddening face full of embarrassment.

She ran down the hall until she reached her room, jumped onto her bed and buried her face into the pillow.

_What was I thinking?_

She wasn't, she didn't. Her own actions confused her. The moment of the kiss replayed in her head. Her actions didn't make any sense. It was as if she were acting purely on impulse.


	4. Fake Fate

**A/N: I realized it's been over a year since I last updated. For those of you who still wish to read this, rest assured that I do intend to complete this no matter how long it takes. I'm sorry for making you wait though.**

* * *

Sophia stared at the ceiling as the tiny rays seeped its way into the blue shadowed room. The morning sun had yet to rise, but the girl laid in bed fully awake. Normally she would wake up an hour or so from now to get ready for a new day, but her circumstances this time were a bit unusual. The said girl was wide awake not because she was well rested for the day, but because she could barely get a wink of sleep at all. The previous day had been full of surprises, one she herself administered. The details of last night's kiss continually replayed in her head, thus the moment she tried to sleep, the first thing she saw was Albel. She blushed fervently at the mere thought of what she did. Or maybe it was him that was causing her unusual behavior? No, she shook her head.

_It couldn't be that... _she thought. _I-it's because I made a fool of myself...yeah...I was just being stupid._

That or the fact she also slept for most of the previous day. Sophia considered that too. She sighed as she became more restless. Her thoughts became her entrapment.

Sophia turned on her side as she tried to fight away her thoughts, but eventually gave in after hours of battle. Her efforts were futile and gravely exhausted her, but why? She couldn't understand why it bugged her so much. Frowning, instead of dismissing her thoughts, she tried to analyze it.

Moments passed and the answer finally dawned on her, just as the dawn did through the crimson veils. When she finally realized why she was so bound to find the answer, she let out a dry laugh. She was so silly... but now that she'd escaped her prison, nothing was keeping her from drooping into another dreamless sleep. And once again, all she could see was black.

* * *

Knock, knock.

"Miss Sophia, are you awake?"

No one answered.

"Miss Sophia? It's noon, you have to get ready for departure," called the maid.

Sophia stirred in her sleep.

Knock, knock.

"Miss Sophia? Please, you'll be late if you sleep any further. The master—ah!"

Without warning, the door opened swiftly and sharply, scaring Sophia awake. Her sudden gasp was enough to hint her surprise.

"A-Albel?" she called out staring at the man who stood before the door.

"It's noon, I recall informing you that we will be departing at this time, did I not?" He sounded slightly aggravated.

"I-I...AH! It's twelve?" she shrieked.

Jumping out of bed, Sophia pulled open the curtains, and evidently, the sun was overbearing in the middle of the sky.

"I-I'm so sorry! I'll be ready—Albel?" she called as she turned around. He was no where in sight. The maid on the other hand stood outside the door way with an equally confused expression.

"Ah, Miss Sophia. I brought you your attire. I'm sure you would be more comfortable wearing your own possession."

"Huh...oh yes...Thank you. I'll be getting ready now..." she spoke, her attention still at the doorway.

Minutes later, Sophia emerged from her room clearly in a rush. She quickly dressed and prepared herself not wasting any moment she had. Remembering Albel's tone as he came to wake her, she knew he wasn't in a good mood. Her fast pace slowly diminished as she wondered if she may be the reason.

_Is he mad at me?_ She wondered. _It couldn't be helped,_ she thought. After last night and then this morning, it shouldn't have been surprising that he would be frustrated with her. But thinking so only made her sink with sorrow. She didn't like it. She didn't want him to be mad at her and much more...even hate her. It was too sad to think about. Shaking her head, Sophia slapped her cheeks harshly.

"D-don't get depressed yet!" she squealed. "You don't know for sure. Ask him later and just apologize!"

_Yeah, that's what I need to do...I need to apolo—I need to hurry!_

Sophia gathered her speed and rushed down the hall and nearly tripped down the stairs. In her haste, she almost crashed into the Lord of the manor.

"I-I'm so sorry Count Woltar!" cried Sophia. "I-I was in a hurry, I have to depart immediately."

"I-It's fine Lady Esteed, you should slow down and—" but he wasn't allowed to finish.

"I can't and I'm sorry, but I really need to go now. I hope to see you again soon!" the girl shouted as she raced out the door.

Count Woltar could only watch as the girl sped past him and disappear with the closing door. He sighed.

"That boy...What is he thinking making a lady rush herself?" he muttered to himself.

As Sophia huffed and puffed her way to the carriage, she spotted Albel standing in front of it. He seemed to have noticed her because his usual grumpy face turned sour the moment he faced her direction which in turn caused her to frown.

As she stopped in front of him, she tried to apologize for her tardiness, but her panting prevented her from getting a single word out.

"Well?" he quirked a brow at her. "What are you waiting for? Get in."

Sophia frowned at his tone, but nonetheless obeyed. Beside Albel was the coachmen who promptly opened the door for her.

Thanking him, she entered the coach with Albel following behind. Sophia sat beside the window and seated across from her was Albel. The moment they sat, his attention turned towards the window. Every now and then, Sophia would throw nervous glances at him. Although she recognized her odd behavior, she still couldn't get over it. Their moments continued to spend in silence.

"So..." she started, "what's the plan?"

Sophia looked at him nervously, unsure if the topic was right to open with.

Albel briefly glanced at her and crossed his arms.

"We are headed for the kingdom of Aquaria. Once there, we are to assemble with the blue maggot and swarm. The details will be briefed after." He spoke to her with indifference.

Sophia sighed. He hadn't changed, still calling people maggots and worms.

"You shouldn't call people names especially if they aren't around. It's the same thing as talking behind their backs," mumbled Sophia.

"Hmph, I don't see what's wrong with being frank. A worm is a worm, and a maggot is also a worm, they are all the same thing."

"Even so, is it so hard to be...nicer?" she asked. He merely shrugged her off.

"Is it so hard for you to be more considerate?" said Sophia, her voice slightly raised almost not believing the words coming out of her mouth.

"That is none of your concern." With that, he turned his gaze outside the window, signaling the end of their chat. But Sophia wouldn't let it.

"Don't you ever think about other people's feelings?" she asked softly.

"A worm's feelings matters not to me. What concerns them means nothing to me."

"Why?" questioned Sophia.

Albel furrowed his brows.

"It has nothing to do with me."

"Why?" she continued to ask, aggravating him more.

"How long are you going to pester me, woman?" he scoffed as he turned towards her.

"You can't say that Albel..." she whispered, her head hung low.

"Are lecturing me? What makes you think-"

"I never thought I was better than you!" she cried. His eyes widened at her outburst.

"I just wanted to try...to get to know you...but saying things like 'feelings don't matter', that's terrible."

Albel could see her fist clenched and shake as it gripped her skirt.

"People aren't made of metal, Albel. We have feelings and just brushing them aside doesn't make them go away. You hurt people when you act like nothing matters!" Sophia was now shouting at him. All the while, Albel just watched.

"Did you ever think about how uncomfortable it is for me? Did you think that I would just forget the things I've done and act as if nothing happened at all? But you treat it like its nothing, you're indifferent like it doesn't matter and..." she trailed off.

"And what?" he inquired. His voice was hard as well as his glare. She could see that her outburst had long lost its effectiveness. Sophia only looked at him sadly while tears started to form in her eyes.

"You have no right to lecture me," he said once again. "Your outburst and your words have no connection. You speak of feelings and judge _my_ thoughts as if _you_ know them. Then you chide me with pointless banter about how _I_ should treat _others_. Your hypocrisy is deluding and aggravating. Make yourself clear woman. Who are you referring to?"

Her lips trembled. "...Last night...I..." Ashamed, she couldn't look at him.

"What of it?"

His reaction remained the same. It meant nothing to him. Maybe he didn't even give it a thought. It pained her to think that he didn't care at all, all the while to her...She'd been so troubled, she couldn't even sleep, but to him...

"Fool," he spat. "Stop frustrating yourself on such pointless matters."

_'Pointless',_ it rung in her head.

"A gesture is a gesture. If the point is made, then what is the problem?"

"B-but I still k-ki-" she stuttered, her face pink and eyes moist.

"How many times must I tell you before it sinks in?" The tone of his voice sounded angry and somewhat chilling, but it was different from his usual mocking tone. "The only reason it is so hard for you to get over it is because you are making it so. The point of your gesture was gratitude, was it not?"

"N-no...I mean..." she shook her head gently.

"Then why?" he asked. Sophia listened for any hints of malice, sarcasm or anything related. :Say it, the words you wish to speak and no other."

"I'm sorry..." she spoke guiltily causing him to raise a brow.

"I couldn't...couldn't forgive what I did...and you...What I want to say is, I wanted to apologize for acting so rashly last night...and for yelling at you too...but...I was sincere when I said my thanks...but- "

"Then there was no reason for you to question anything to begin with."

With that, Albel closed his eyes and leaned against the carriage. He seemed tuckered out and wanted peace after their quarrel.

Sophia gazed at the man in front of her as he nodded off quietly. Thinking back, she had been afraid that his words were meant to deceive her or push her away. From the very beginning of their conversation, she carried the doubt that he cared for her at all. It led her to believe that he didn't care about anyone, that he really was wicked. It made her feel guilty because now she knew it wasn't true. Although his words confused and misled her, she had been too quick to jump at the thought that he didn't care. She had been at fault, too. Using others to get her answers. But from what she deduced, others and herself, were two separate things.

* * *

After a long wait, Sophia and Albel finally reached the city of Aquios. According to Albel, they would rendezvous with Fayt and the others at a nearby inn. It was the same inn they stayed at during their voyage. As Sophia made her way to the inn, Albel on the other hand departed to...run an errand.

Sophia quirked a brow. It was strange...what business does he have in Aquaria?

She watched him stomp off angrily, totally pissed off about something. He seemed angry throughout the day.

As she stood staring at his disappearing figure, a body popped out before the door and crashed into hers.

"Sorry!"exclaimed Sophia. "It was my fault for standing there."

"Oh, it's fine. I'm just glad you're finally here."

"Huh?" Sophia looked up.

"Nel!" Sophia was overjoyed. It had been so long since she had last seen her. To her, Nel was like an older sister. She was mature, kind and caring, but also deadly. Throughout their venture, Nel also made effort to watch over the younger girl because she worried about her well being. Sophia's kind nature wasn't meant for battle, but nonetheless she was dragged into the war to save mankind, no, their entire universe.

Reaching out a hand, Nel helped Sophia to her feet.

"You look well, Sophia." Said Nel.

"I'm fine, how've you been?" asked Sophia.

"We can talk more once we get inside. We don't want another accident, do we?" replied Nel in a light tone.

"Right, sorry. I'll move out of the way." With that, the two girls headed in.

Sophia followed Nel as they entered an occupied room. Inside, she saw Maria and the others.

"Sophia!" piped a girlish voice. Peppita bounced over to the doe eyed brunette.

"Peppita!" Sophia exclaimed. "You're okay! I was so worried about you!"

"Me too," cried the smaller girl. "I was so scared when I couldn't find you."

"I was scared too, but I'm alright." Sophia gave the younger girl a reassuring smile that gently lifted her worries.

"That reminds me," said Sophia, "just what is going on? And why did the Vendeeni attack me? Better yet-"

"We'll get to that in a moment, just calm down for now." Sophia turned to Cliff, who answered her question. He sat comfortably on the edge of the bed.

"Bear with it for now, we can't start until everyone gets here."

"Oh!" she squeaked. She examined the members and realized that aside from Albel, Adray, Fayt and Roger were still missing.

"Do you know where the others are Cliff?" asked Maria who was leaning against the wall.

"Adray and Roger are almost here. We sent Fayt to get them so there's no reason to worry for lover boy."

Maria blushed when she heard his comment which earned Cliff a grin. "They should be arriving at any moment."

On cue, Adray and Roger came in along with Fayt.

"Hey guys!" shouted Roger. "It's great to see you guys again."

"It's great to see you too, Roger," answered Mirage, standing near the bedpost. "Welcome back Adray, Fayt."

Adray crossed his arms and stuck out his chest. "So the young ones are as energetic as ever, good. Kids need spirit if they want to walk the path of a true warrior."

"Yeah, yeah. Knock it off old man, we don't need them destroying the place," came Cliff.

"Old man? Watch your tongue, brat," retorted the veteran.

"Ahem," coughed Fayt, "You guys look great, but just to be safe...Sophia, how are you?"

Fayt looked at her with brotherly concern and she smiled back. "I'm fine, see? Albel was with me, but thanks for worrying, Fayt."

"I see, so where is he anyways?"

"The King of Airyglyph has sent him on an errand in Aquaria and has also been lending him to the Queen as of late. Since the end of the war, with the treaty in place, Albel has been serving both sides. Ever since he became the messenger, his temper has reached new heights." Nel, along with her Secret Legion, have been informed directly by the queen, Aquaria XXVII to cooperate with the other kingdom as well.

"He's serving both sides?" questioned Mirage. Everyone looked at each other with bewildered looks.

"Correct. As of this morning, he's been sent on another mission and was asked to report to the queen as soon as he reached the castle grounds. I am also charged with duties from Airyglyph, but the queen makes little demands from me since my whole squad is at her disposal."

Sophia gasped as she remembered his recent attitude and weariness.

"So he wasn't mad at me?" she cried out loud.

"Mad? Why would he be mad? Well, he does have a temper, but at you specifically...did something happen?"

"Umm...no...well, k-kind of...but it doesn't really matter. I just made things harder to deal with, but it's okay now." Her voice was frantic as if she were hiding something. They could see the tainted red on her cheeks.

"Sophia, if something happens-" started Fayt, but he did not finish.

"Meddling, now are we? Just a bunch of annoying worms." Albel trudged into the room.

"Albel..."whispered Sophia with a hint of surprise. Of course, everyone else was too at his sudden arrival.

"Well? Are you maggots just going to stare off until your eyes rot or will you begin this senseless meeting? I don't have all day so spare me," he spoke dryly, earning a few agitated looks.

"It so happens that it was YOU whom we were waiting for," retorted Maria, "but seeing as YOU are here NOW, of course we can begin."

She glared at him and he did the same in return.

"Well Cliff, I believe you should start and explain to everyone what's going on," said Mirage interrupting the glaring contest.

Cliff nodded and hardened his face. He didn't speak immediately which caused others to glance around with concern.

"This isn't going to be easy to say..." he started.

"Could it be...that we have to save the universe again?" gulped Roger.

"Oh no, nothing like that. Well, not really..." said Cliff.

"Then the enemies are back to get revenge?" asked Peppita. It was the same thought the others also shared.

Cliff nodded.

"That's right, but there's a bit more to it than that. We won't be going into any more wars, I assure you, but..." Cliff swiftly glanced at Sophia causing her to flinch.

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" repeated Sophia.

"Yeah...I'm sorry."

"Cliff, you're not making any sense. What are you sorry for?" questioned the former leader of.

"After you left, we...me and Mirage have been scouting around space to maintain peace on our own. After the battle with the Creator we didn't want any more conflicts so we decided to do whatever we could so that no one else would have to fight."

Cliff then looked at Mirage with an odd stare that Sophia couldn't really pin. He looked troubled, no it was much worse.

Mirage patted Cliff on the shoulder and rubbed it gently and began her part.

"Using our sources and power, we've been gathering information about irregular activities and one day we stumbled upon some rumors about the Vendeeni, or what was left of them."

"Are you saying that you knew they were scheming this?" inquired Nel.

Cliff stood up with every inch screaming that he was not messing around.

"We tried to track them down when we got word that they were planning to get revenge. We went from world after the next looking for them, but they were too dispersed. It became apparent that searching for them was useless."

"So you gave up and didn't tell us?" asked Fayt.

"No. We never gave up," said Mirage confusing the crowd.

"Then what did you guys do?" asked Roger.

A split second later, a furious Fayt rushed up to Cliff and slammed his cheek with his fist.

"Fayt!" cried Maria who was as shocked as everyone else in the room.

"You...You bastard!" Fayt screamed. "You used Sophia as bait! How could you? How dare you!"

"Stop, Fayt!" cried Maria as she ran over to hold him back along with Adray.

"Kid, calm down! This conversation isn't over yet so-" yelled Adray.

"I won't forgive them!"

"Listen Fayt, it was the only way-" said Mirage, but she was caught off by Cliff.

"That's right, we used Sophia without her knowing, but don't blame Mirage, I was the one who decided on this."

"Cliff-"

"It's okay," he muttered softly.

"Damn it, Cliff! Why?" berated the angered blue head.

"Fayt, please stop!" pleaded Sophia.

"But-"

"I know! But please stop this! I want to hear it from them."

The blue haired boy stopped his assault, but looked on completely pissed. When they confirmed it was safe, Maria and Adray released their hold. Sophia then turned her attention to Cliff and Mirage with saddened eyes.

"Why?" she spoke softly. "Why didn't you tell us...?"

"We didn't have any other way of getting them to come out," answered Mirage.

"We knew they would come after us, but we didn't know how. They were just remnants of what they use to be, but we couldn't risk people getting involved anymore. Enough people have already been hurt because of these conflicts and each of you went on with your lives. We didn't want to interfere...to ruin what you have now."

"And that is the reason you bothered not to inform us?" Albel finally piped up.

"That's right." Mirage closed her eyes.

"But that still doesn't explain why Sophia was bait," spat Fayt.

"I agree. Involving an innocent young woman without her knowledge is far from honorable," spoke Adray who seemed disgusted at their actions. Actually, it was safe to say that he looked even more angered than Fayt, but was surprisingly in better control of himself.

Cliff grimaced. "We didn't want to interrupt your lives, but we needed a means to get them to come out. I came up with the idea of baiting them out."

"We had one of our members infiltrate their union pretending to want revenge and was easily accepted. After that we had him constantly contact us secretly. When they finally grouped enough men, they needed a plan to come after us." Informed Mirage.

"That's right. But I was the one that decided on using Sophia," continued Cliff. "I thought about all kinds of ways, but as much as I hated it, this way was the most efficient. I had the spy persuade them to come after you because you were the most vulnerable out of everyone. Fayt was off to college with Maria, but since they were close together, they could provide each other support. Nel, Adray, Roger, and Albel live in Elicoor II and have positions that could garner them the necessities for battle if they need it. But for you-"

"I was the weakest link," Sophia hissed causing Cliff to flinch. "I was alone and didn't have anyone right? I can't compare to any of you in combat because I'm weak right? Or maybe it's because you thought that I couldn't handle anything? Just prey for the wolves? A sitting duck that can't fend for herself-"

"That's not it, Sophia!" cried Mirage. "Telling you would mean you'd be cautious and wary. We wanted to avoid any suspicions. We meant to protect you if anything happened, but keeping it secret was for us to take precautions. You just happened to have the most disadvantages out of all of us."

"Don't lie to me!" Sophia screamed back. "I know what you really think of me! You think I'm weak! I'm dependent! A little girl who can't do anything!"

"That's enough, Sophia!" shouted Maria. "Don't go putting words into peoples mouths. Of all people, you would never say that if you were thinking straight!"

But Sophia could not keep calm. The past two years had only gotten worse. She lost her parents, Fayt left her, and she became alone now that no one seemed to care to involve with her.

"Straight? What's straight are your lies. You keep bending the truth, but I already know it. That's why I can follow."

"Sophia, calm down." Nel stepped in front of the girl and held her shoulders gently. "I know it's hard to listen to what they say, but it's over now so just calm down for your own good."

Why do they act like they care now? Why after she had to suffer two whole years of loneliness? Sophia trembled under Nel's grasp. She had enough of crying, of shedding countless tears for one person alone. It was sad to think about, but it was true. She only had one person to shed tears for. Herself. And so she did.

"I...I want to be alone..." The words sounded so foreign to her. She couldn't believe she said it. It was the last thing she wanted, but after reuniting with her friends after two years, she couldn't be with them. The though that maybe she was meant to be alone struck her hard.

"Sophia..." whispered Peppita.

"Excuse me, I'm going out for a walk." With that, she left the group in silence.

* * *

**End of Chapter**

* * *

**A/N: I meant to add more to this chapter, but I decided to split it so you don't have too much to read. It might take a while to get the next part up though. Sorry once again.**


	5. Food for your thoughts

**A/N: I am not quitting this! I will finish this however long it takes. Although hopefully, not long.**

* * *

Sophia squatted down pressing hard against her lap as she furrowed down her brows into an unseemly point. Her face remained in a scowl as she let loose small growls that attracted a nearby kitten she chanced upon in the same ally.

Sophia picked up the kitten unafraid of it's claws and pressed her cheeks against its own while snuggling it harder against her well endowed chest.

Releasing a sigh, the girl began to talk to it as if it were her long time companion.

"So you got left behind too, huh? Sucks to be us..." She sighed again.

"It's so unfair...I was so looking forward to seeing everyone again and just hanging out like we use to. It was suppose to be all fun and laughs!" The girl huffed and pouted at the cat who only growled back.

"What? I'm being unfair? No way, Uh-uh! I've been living these past two years working as hard as everyone else and when it comes to it, I'm the one who gets taken advantage of. I could have been helpful if they had told me!"

"Meow," the cat stared back and then started to scratch behind it's ear.

"Hmm, you have a point. I get that they had their reasons, but still, what they did was unreasonable. If it could be easily forgiven, I wouldn't be so angry!"

"...Meow."

"Eh? Forgive and forget? Didn't I just say that I can't forgive them that easily? Besides, it feels too awkward to be around them right now."

"Meow."

"No...I don't hate them. Actually, I really really miss them, which is why it's harder for me to go back now! Ugh, this sucks."

The cat began to fiddle with her strands of hair that hung pass her face.

"Ah, hey careful kitty. Were you feeling down too? Okay, go ahead and play with it for now...I won't get mad."

As Sophia snuggled with the kitty, she felt slightly better, however only slightly.

Letting out another sigh, Sophia dropped herself to the ground and lowered the cat.

"What should I do now? I don't want to be the one to go back and apologize. I mean, they already apologized, but it's not enough right?"

Her gaze ran over to the kitten, but the kitten was no longer in her field of vision.

"Kitty, where'd you go? Don't tell me you ditched me too?" Her breath had softened as she whispered to herself until a large cry was heard outside the ally. Curious, Sophia got up to check out the disturbance.

"I'm sorry, so sorry!" cried a woman as she held her sobbing boy. "We'll compensate for it, but please don't hurt us!"

Sophia followed the sounds of the voice. She could hear screeching and hissing and the sound of metal swishing.

Upon arriving at the scene, her vision was filled with terrified faces, a cold and blank expression and the swing of a blade as it slit through the air heralding down on the familiar kitten.

"KYAAAHHH!" The blow had landed and slit through the fabric that entangled her tiny companion.

For a split second, the terror had filled her until she saw the cat jump out. Her mind had conferred confusion quite like the massive crowd around her.

"Ilyja!" cried the little boy as the cat hopped into his arms. The tears continued to stream down his face as he smothered the cat.

Heavy clanks from the swordsman indicated his leave as the metal clicked against his side. The crowd had revealed way for the man as they wanted to stray from any signs of trouble.

Sophia had been slow to piece the event and still didn't understand what had happened. Upon seeing the swordsman leave, she sprinted through the crowd gasping and cursing his long strides.

"Albel!" she had cried out. The people had flinched, shocked that someone would outright call out "The Wicked" by name.

He turned back in slight surprise but easily recovered as she appeared in his view.

"Oh, the foolish woman." His tone seemed to lack any remarkable malice or irateness she had come to know in the past few hours. It was safe to say it sounded flat.

"Wha-what happened?" Asked Sophia as she huffed in a breath of air.

He didn't reply, instead turned around and went on his way, pretending he hadn't seen her.

"Hey!" she called out. "Don't ignore me when you clearly saw me. You even answered!"

"I told you before, you ignorant fool, not to order me around."

Albel had not turned back, clearly knowing that the woman would still follow.

"But-!" was as far as Sophia got before the moody man made a swift left before disappearing into a dark ally.

'Where did he go'? Thought Sophia.

Having lost sight of Albel, her view had suddenly broadened and she realized she had walked into the market. The stalls were closing and the vendors were ready to leave. It made her realize that she had been out almost the entire day. Sunset was gone and dusk had taken over. Had she really been talking to a cat for so long?

"Sophia!" called a female voice.

As she turned around, unmistakable blue hair slapped her cheek. She knew who it was immediately, but unconsciously, she thought of someone else. The first person to come to her mind had always been Fate, it was just normal since it was always him who would be first to find her, but in his place it was Maria.

Sophia had been shocked stiffed at the sudden embrace, never ever thinking that Maria would do such a thing to her. She had always seemed a bit distant to her, but now that Maria had her arms around her, she didn't know what to do much less what to say.

Letting go, Maria's facial expression turned stern, something that Sophia was much more use to.

"Where have you been? Everyone has been looking for you! I know that what happened was a big shock and you have every right to be angry, but...everyone's worried!"

Sophia couldn't reply. It wasn't the response she had been expecting. In her head, she thought that Maria might have slapped her or at least reprimanded her for running off like a child. It made her feel guilty for making Maria out to be such a cold and heartless person.

"I..." her mouth hung agape, still shocked.

Maria sighed. "Forgive me, I was too sudden."

Sophia quickly shook her head.

Maria took in a moment to soak in the silence before responding.

"It's getting late. We should head back and let everyone know you are safe."

"Why wouldn't I be?" Sophia suddenly blurted, catching Maria by surprise. Sophia hated this new side of herself, but she couldn't suppress the ill feelings she had when 'everyone' was mentioned.

"You also think I'm helpless too, don't you..."

"...Let's talk inside," said Maria in the softest voice she could muster, "please?"

Not knowing what she might say next, Sophia kept her mouth shut and simply nodded and made her way back to the Inn with Maria.

**XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX**

Maria had contacted the others having them return soon after their own arrival. Fayt had been the second to arrive after Maria and Sophia, having rushed over as soon as he received news. It had taken almost twenty minutes to gather everyone, minus Albel who was still out on delivery. Nel informed the party that he was still out on assignment, thus his absence were to be excused, not that it really mattered at the moment. When he would come back, only the man himself would decide.

The atmosphere was awkward, to say the least. No one said a word until Roger sneezed, earning a small 'bless you'.

It had taken Adray to step up and break the table to get them going.

"I've had enough of this silly silent game!" the old man shouted. "Sophia has the right, but not you two, so start talking!"

"We've already said our piece," responded Mirage, "it's up to Sophia to decide what she will do now."

Sophia gave her a short look before turning away. There was so much more she wanted to say, but if she did, she would not be able to hold back the hurt nor the anger that might lead to more regrets.

"Fine," continued Adray, "then let me chew on you bumble heads until the little one wishes to take a bite. I'm infuriated that you would do such a thing, though I've been quite obvious about it. It may seem logical from a strategic standpoint, but you involved innocent lives. I won't forgive that so easily."

Cliff nodded in understanding.

"Me too," Fayt spoke. "I don't like that you kept this hidden from us, for the sake of what's real, we are your friends, comrades, we fought to save the world together. Had you come to us, you know that we would have backed you up."

Mirage simply shook her head. "We know."

"Then why?" asked Maria. Sophia hadn't noticed it before, but Maria had taken it just as hard as her even though she had not been the pawn. It made sense though as Maria had known them the longest and fought along side them years before they ever met.

"Because we knew you would fight. We didn't want any of you to ever go through with it again."

"So you decide to leave us out? To never let us know when you are troubled?"

"I know it sounds selfish-"

"It IS! What would you do if your plan had failed? Sophia came back safe thankfully, but a lot worse could have happened to her, maybe to even you! How would we be able to help then? How would we even know?"

"Maria," Nel called. "I understand your concerns, but the same thing will happen if we keep letting these emotions get to us. You have every right to be angry and they WILL hear you out. Just remember to keep yourself together."

"I apologize," Maria lowered her gaze and contented herself by sitting down on the nearby chair. She kept her arms crossed almost as if it would contain the rest of her feelings.

"Thank you Nel." Cliff finally spoke. It had been odd that he had been so silent. "I know you all have a lot to say and we intend to take all of the words you throw at us, we deserve it, but we don't regret what we did."

He looked to everyone in the room before continuing.

"As hypocritical as it sounds, I'd do it all over to keep you away from the fighting."

"But that's not what friends do!" Peppita cried. "I don't like that we're fighting and I don't like it when we keep secrets. I don't like that it took us two years to finally get in contact and the first thing we do is argue!" She had remained quiet because she thought it would be too immature for her to speak. It was something that the adults had to talk out, but they had been constantly biting at each other that it hurt her to just stand and listen. She thought that she had no say, but they were friends right? They would listen even if she was one of the youngest members, she hoped. She didn't like it, any of it. The girl had remained silent for far too long and she had finally had enough as well.

"Why did this happen? Why? Why can't we just be happy that this time for sure it is completely over? You keep saying that you want us to continue living happily, but look at us! Is anyone happy, now that we know it's over?"

Sophia stared wide eyed at the younger girl. She was only three years her junior and many more so than the rest with the exception of Roger, yet she had been the one to make the most sense even though she mostly raised questions.

"I think..." a low resonance erupted from Roger's mouth, "I understand what Peppita is saying. These past two years, I really wanted to see you guys again. I didn't know when we could, but I kept hoping. I kept wishing that the next time I see you, we'd have so many stories to tell. Sure they might not be as dangerous or heroic as the ones two years ago, but I kept thinking I want to share my stories with you and that I'd also get to hear about yours. We'd spend many nights camping just for the sake of sharing our past two years while sitting by a camp fire or take trips to different cities and try the things we never knew before, just so that we can share the moment."

They all took a moment to ingest the words spoken by the little ones. A glance here and there made the elder folks feel a glint of shame. Sophia too had taken their words to heart and had to rearrange her feelings. She stared at the group softly, pondering on what she cared about more, the fact that she was used as bait or the fact that only wanted her to live peacefully.

"Hey, you know what I learned?" Sophia finally spoke. The gentle tone that was long missed had finally found it's way home in her voice. "The older we get, the harder it becomes for us to be honest. It gets harder to say the things we really want known."

She smiled, giving them a pleasant yet pained looked. It was her turn again, but this time she'll say what she really wanted them to hear.

"I guess I'll be the first to share. In these past two years, I had to retake my junior year in high school because I missed too many days. I spent my senior year trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life and I still couldn't decide. I ended up working to get my mind off of it and to stay away from my own house. I lied to Fayt and Maria, telling them I was okay by myself, but in truth I felt so alone. I didn't want anyone to worry, at least that's what I thought at first. In fact it was the opposite. I wanted someone to step in and take me away from it all. I wanted someone to tell me that they cared and would help me get through the days and that I'd be okay. I wanted someone to rely on..."

Fayt had opened his mouth to say something, but before he had a chance, Sophia pressed on.

"No one stayed in touch, or at least I didn't. I wanted to seem independent and strong, so I thought that if I didn't worry anyone, they would think I was, but it made me feel worse when I no longer had anyone to tell this too. How could anyone help me if I keep it to myself? It wasn't anyone's fault that I got hurt, I was the one hurting me."

She turned to look at Cliff and Mirage.

"I yelled at you guys and put words in your mouth. I know you would never do anything without being at least 80% sure that you succeed. The things I said were a reflection of my own thoughts of myself. I didn't like feeling lonely and I didn't like the fact that I was. When you told me that I was being used, it added to my negativity. It made me think that I wasn't wanted, needed, no one actually cared or believed in me.

Was I such a useless person? Am I someone who doesn't have anything at all? It really felt that way and I gave in to such feelings. I realize now how wrong I was. I just wanted to be someone that others could talk to and rely on. Someone people would come to. Yet, I didn't take the step to really become that person. I ended up wallowing in self-pity and saying things I didn't mean."

"Sophia...we-"

"So!" Sophia puffed out her chest, "I hope you guys learned something too! I know you mean well and you'd probably save the galaxy all over if you had to, but if you understood any of what I said, then you should know not to keep us away! We're friends and friends stick together rain or shine. It's not cool to keep it to yourself so let us know when you're having trouble or just want to talk. All of us will feel better that way! As long as we know how we each feel..."

"You are fine that they used you without your knowing and are now willing to pretend it never happened," questioned Adray.

"No, not at all. I don't like what happened and I hate how things turned out. I really wished that they would have told me, but I'm done with fighting like this. I'd say keep it in the battlefield but we don't want that either. It's just that we can't really avoid it. Fighting is something we do everyday whether it's for someone, a cause, defense, or purely just to live, it's unavoidable. It's harder when you're alone, that's why I want to fight together and not against each other.

Cliff let out a small sigh, "you really are one odd lady. It's a compliment, don't ever forget it."

"If my understanding is correct, this is your attempt to forgive and move on?" asked a perplexed Nel.

"So you do understand!" Sophia beamed. "Great, does anyone else have anything else to say?"

A loud gurgle came from the opposite side of Sophia and she suddenly loved cliches. They all turned towards Peppita who crossed her arms to protect her dignity.

"I'm hungry," she let out shyly, "if anyone still has something to say, say it over dinner! It will be a joyous and happy one, mind you."

They all gave a small laugh. The atmosphere in the room had finally lightened.

"Sure thing, Peppita. Nel, did you get the inn to accommodate us while we are here?"

Nel nodded. "The inn will provide for food and lodging. The Queen has already handled matters of your stay so please treat her kindness with respect."

"Alright then, let's get this show on the road." With his right hand, Fayt signaled for everyone to leave. Sophia couldn't be happier now that everything was over and that everyone was finally getting along again. As she made her way out, she heard a little something from Roger.

"I really miss this," he whispered to himself.

She couldn't agree more.

**XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX**

Dinner turned out a lot more exciting than Sophia thought it would be. Maybe it was because now that she had finally said her piece, she felt more connected to the rest. They were able to talk about a lot of things, from routines to new discoveries, but mostly how much they looked forward to Claire's wedding. It was the reason they were here and they were damn sure that it would be a great one. Sophia also found out who Claire would soon wed. To her shock, it was none other than King Airyglyph XIII, Arzei Bohnleid.

A truce had been called between Aquaria and Airyglyph after realizing that the universe had a bigger enemy. The kingdoms came to realize how insignificant their world was and how small a difference they really made. The technology that Fayt and gang had brought to their disposal was far too advanced for their researchers to comprehend, thus, the ceasefire and a line of cooperation was dealt.

Aquaria and Airyglyph would remain two distinct kingdoms, however, they would move forward as one. They would provide and accommodate for what the other could not, all in hopes to advance their civilization and the lives of their people.

Their respectful leaders lent their best and ordered for cooperation, leading the Crimson Blade's Claire and Airyglyph's Albel 'The Wicked' along with other notable officers, to aid in establishing a peace pact. They were loyal to their origins, but must also assume roles that will benefit both kingdoms. In between, Claire had gotten quite close to the King and eventually it led to the shocking conclusion of a marriage proposal in which she accepted.

With an alliance at hand, the two made their engagement public to strengthen harmony. The matter of love was a common question that came up, but the closest personnel knew that their hearts were true to their country as well as to each other. A shock it was, but a joyous one worth celebrating.

By the end of the night, everyone had gone to sleep. Sophia was given a chance to talk to Fayt and Maria after their dinner and share their concerns. It had been the first time in two years that she had honestly answered his questions. She told him her insecurities, wishes, and impulses and he had acknowledged and comforted her with bits of advice. Everyone also had a chance to talk and listen, it made her feel like they were family.

Sophia laid in her bed for quite a while until she decided to go back out for a quick snack. She knew it was bad for her metabolism, but oh boy was she hungry. She had been so filled with laughter during dinner that she left her stomach significantly empty.

Sophia snuck into the kitchen as quietly as she could, tiptoeing through the halls as best she could. Remembering that their was no electricity, she settled for something easy to make, without fire. The only thing she found was bread and a few vegetables. A portion of leftover ham was found in the corner as well. She debated whether it was safe to eat, but her stomach had won her over. Lettuce, tomatoes, and ham, she had just enough to make sandwiches. As for spread, there was a bit of spice and something akin to hummus she had found. It smelled good enough, so she took it too.

A few minutes later, her master piece was done! Sure sandwiches already existed, but hers were special. Sophia's cooking skills were much better than the average female and she was proud to say that it would taste great, maybe even better than great. She smiled and skipped out of the kitchen with a plate full of homemade delis, humming quietly back to her room. She knocked into a soft wall and nearly dropped her plate.

Sophia rubbed her head, confused, not remembering any objects that lay in the hall. As far as she could recall, it was clear during dinner and didn't breathe or move...

Before she could scream, a hand smothered her face, and a soft breath hit her face.

"Scream and I will gut you."

Recognizing the voice, her tension vanished.

The hand was removed from her face.

"You scared me Albel..." she whispered.

"...You again."

Bah! The nerve he had. Does he not realizing that 'gutting' someone is a scary thing to do? And what was with the lack of emotion?

"Well, forgive me for not seeing you? It is kinda dark you know."

"Bah," Oh how she knew he'd say that, "it isn't so much a problem as is your senses."

Deciding to ignore his comment for the better, Sophia simply asked.

"Where were you and what happened earlier? Everyone has already made up, so we'll be getting up at six for breakfast. Planning and assignments will be decided afterward."

"It doesn't matter."

"What doesn't?"

"Fool, you ask a question and I answered. Why is it that every question you have only strings back to stupidity?"

"Quit calling me stupid! I was only asking out of concern!"

"Shall I remind you to keep your voice down? Your screech is vile to human ears," sneered Albel.

Sophia huffed. "Why do I even bother?"

She was about to walk away until she thought about how late it was and if he had just gotten back.

"Have you eaten?" she asked quickly.

No answer.

Sophia took hold of Albel's claw and pulled him towards the door to the entrance. He shook her off at first, but she did not back away. When they made it out, he threatened to claw out her throat if she did not tell him what she was plotting.

"I just wanted to have a midnight snack. You are going to accompany me."

"Are you a brainless twit? Have I not made myself clear-?"

"I know, you don't like me ordering you around, especially now that the king has his hands up your ass."

With the moon out, she could see his eyes narrow dangerously.

"But, you are doing so willingly," she chided sweetly, "because a girl should not be outside at night by herself and you haven't had any dinner. Plus if we are inside, it's hard to talk."

"Hmph, my words are wasted on you," Albel spoke harshly, still irritated at her for thinking she could command him.

It was odd. Sophia just couldn't fear him like she use to. Even if his words were still full of venom and truth, she couldn't help but believe that she'd still be safe. Maybe she had long lost her head, but oh well, she was in too good of a mood to let this ruin her.

Grabbing a sandwich from her plate she handed the rest to Albel, before settling herself against the side of the door.

The man took it reluctantly, but he was no idiot to waste good food as it looked quite appetizing and freshly put together. Without another word he munched down.

Sophia nibbled on her sandwich slowly, making sure to elongate her time outside. She didn't want to finish first and head in leaving Albel to himself. Food always did taste better when there was someone to eat it with. They didn't speak after that, only enjoy the night, like yesterday as well. Inside, she was quite happy to have a moment like this. Since she had arrived, she had not dined with him once. No one did for that matter. 'Maybe,' she thought, maybe he might join us for breakfast,' as Albel downed the last of his sandwich and she stuffed the rest of hers into her mouth.

He made a gesture for her to enter first, an act of kindness she rarely saw from him while still wearing his hard expression, and she took it.

It was extremely quiet as they back.

Sophia had found her room quickly and was about to enter until she turned around to see if Albel was still around. She saw his sleek silhouette a few doors beyond on the other side, still and waiting.

Maybe he wanted to make sure she got in first? Sophia kidded, but honestly hoped.

"Goodnight," she called out. It was loud enough to hear, but not enough to wake up the cast.

She turned her door knob and entered her room.

"Night," she heard as she closed her door shut.

Sophia snuggled into bed and wrapped herself warm. The emotional day was over and things turned out for the better. What made her feel warmest was the fact that her relationship with everyone had improved, all thanks to food.

* * *

**End of Chappie**

**A/N: So as for what happened with Albel... meh. I didn't feel like writing it out. Left it that way so that he retains a sense of mysteriousness/enigma? Yes, I purposely put in question marks. Oh yeah, it's also to question whether or not he's good or bad. What he does to the cat, you decide...  
**


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